Surprisingly Recyclable

Most people here in SF have larger recycling bins in their homes than trash cans. We passionately recycle and compost as much as we can, but what exactly can be recycled these days?

It varies (greatly) from city to city, depending on the capabilities at your local recycling plant, so definitely check online to see what is and is not recyclable in your neighborhood.

We checked the list for San Francisco and we shocked and impressed at how much the list of recyclables has grown since we last checked!

These items were most surprising for us to toss in the blue bin:
aluminum foil
spray cans
buckets with metal handles
CDs, DVDs and cases (with paper insert removed)
coffee cup lids
corks - plastic
flower pots and trays
toys (no electronics, metal or batteries)
tupperware
plastic utensils
wrapping paper (non-metallic)


Here's the full list of items welcome in the blue recycling bin:

Since we are legally obligated to compost, not many things go into the trash these days. A free standing paper grocery bag under the sink can hold the trash of 3 people for a week or longer, and because food scraps are in the compost bin, the trash doesn't get gross or smelly. It's odd, but awesome!

The question is no longer who takes out the trash, but who takes out the compost.